Grant Harding begins his second season as the Cougars Head Coach in 2013. In his first season the winning percentage improved by 40 points over the previous season. The Cougars had two all-conference honorable mention performances and two academic all conference performers. Harding earned his first college coaching win in only his second game as the Cougars defeated the Knights of Carleton at the Metrodome on March 8th. With his first recruiting class under his belt the roster has grown to 29 players.
Harding spent the last five seasons at Minnesota - Morris serving as head assistant baseball coach. He is also an assistant football coach and head equipment room manager. He joined the Cougar baseball coaching staff in the fall of 2007. In his first year, he helped four hitters finish above the .390 mark, while the Cougars had five regulars finish the season with batting averages over .300. In 2011, he coached the pitching staff to their lowest team ERA since 2002.
A native of Sandstone, Minn. where he played football and baseball for his father, Bruce, Harding, and was named Athlete of the Year at East Central High School as a senior. In his senior year he set the single game strike out record for his high school as he struck out 20 men in a 7 inning game.
After high school, he began his collegiate career at Hamline University, competing in both football and baseball. After graduating he stayed on as a graduate assistant for football, coaching defensive backs.
Following Hamline, Harding came to Minnesota Morris for one season, coaching defensive backs. He then accepted a graduate assistantship at Minot State with the football team, eventually moving to Dakota State for one season and Urbana University before returning to Morris.
Harding then returned to Minnesota Morris in 2008 as an assistant coach for both the baseball and football teams. Harding is engaged to be married this summer to Michele Servantez.
Education
2001 – Hamline University (B.A. in Physical Education)
Coaching Career
2013: 5-20, 3-11 UMAC
